Epilogue – Cooper
Dad Joke Of The Day:
What do you call shoes made out of banana peels?
Slippers.
There’s just something about hockey in June that gets people going. The crowd is more intense, passion shining through in the way they cheer, pounding the glass as players race down the ice. Screaming every time the gloves get dropped.
It really gets your blood pumping, pure adrenaline through your body. There’s nothing else like it, especially when your game ends in a win. A win during the regular season is one thing, but in June? In the NHL?
That can only mean one thing. It’s the playoffs, baby!
Tonight was game five of the finals, and we came in tied at two games each.
We’re racing to the four wins needed to take home the series and the Stanley Cup.
This entire series has been brutal, going up against the Vipers, but tonight was different.
When we scored with four minutes left, taking the lead, I think we all breathed a small sign of relief.
Before getting right back to work.
There was something in the air all night, starting from the second the puck dropped at the beginning of the game.
We were all out for blood—each of us knowing that the win tonight was huge, especially for us since tonight is a home game, so the next game is in Washington.
Everyone knows road games can be more challenging, especially during the playoffs because yeah, players want to win, that's known.
But the fans? Hell, the crowd brings energy like never before during the playoffs.
It's electric, like you can feel the energy pulsing all around you, vibrating along your skin.
It’s wild and something I dream about during the season, knowing with every win we get, we’re one step closer to another experience like this.
Walking into The Penalty Box was more proof of this because the cheers the entire bar let out when we came through the front door was damn near worth it alone.
Lucas went back with my parents right after the game, so after a quick hug, they were off to go get room service.
It wasn’t until the last minute that they knew they were going to be able to make it to tonight’s game, so they took a redeye to get here. It worked out nicely since they’re staying at my house this time. Lucas wanted to head back with them anyway, allowing me and Ally to come out with the team.
“Are we doing another round of shots?” Jax asks as he reclines back in his chair, his eyes glassy as he sips his beer, already going full-send on our celebration, which I can only imagine will end up with him taking one of these girls home who have been eyeing him all night.
“Eventually,” I chuckle, pulling Ally onto my lap as she tries to sneak by with Quinn as they’re coming back from the bathroom. I'm always aware of where she is; it’s like my body just knows.
“What are you doing, you caveman,” she squeals, leaning back into my arms, proving there’s no fight in her. “I was trying to take a seat.”
“Yeah, Coop, I thought you were off daddy duty right now?” Quinn says, a little twinkle in her eye, using the nickname that I hadn’t got around to telling him she loves.
I couldn’t tell you why, but I’d be lying if I didn’t think it was kind of hot.
By the way he grips my hips at her words, I’d say he doesn't mind hearing it either. “Why’d you stop her from sitting by me?”
“This is her seat,” I tell them with a shrug before nuzzling into Ally’s neck, my hand resting on her thigh as I try to touch as much of her as possible.
Fuck, she smells good.
“What do you think, Ally Cat? Should we do another round of shots? Or go out and dance a bit first?” I ask, gesturing towards the dance floor. Her blue eyes follow mine as we look out at the group of people dancing that has somehow tripled in size.
It’s upbeat and fun, but also intimate and sensual at the same time.
Everyone gets more and more excited every time the music changes.
They’ve been switching between artists like Usher and Genuine and then throwing in curveballs like Aqua and New Kids on the Block—the last of which I got schooled by Ally and Quinn as they yelled at me for asking if it was *NSYNC before proceeding to sing every word together into a spoon they pretended was a microphone.
But it’s all in good fun. It’s a celebration—we have one more win, and then we can lift that trophy for everyone to see. And I get to do it with Ally and my boy by my side.
Her eyes twinkle, and she waggles her eyebrows up at me. “You know if dancing is on the table that's always my vote.”
Grinning, I lean in close, my lips brushing her ear as my voice comes out low and rough, strained by the way her hips grind just enough to undo me. “Tell me, baby—is it the dancing you like, or is it my hands on your body?”
“Why pick just one? I’ll take both, thanks.
Especially with this playlist hitting all my favorites.
” Right then, Juvenile’s “Back That Azz Up” comes on, and she practically bounces in my lap excitedly, in the way that makes my cock twitch even though she swears it’s not intended to be sexual.
I pinch her side, and she shoots me a glare.
“Let’s go. I know you can’t resist this song.” I smirk, watching her jump up while I’m left sporting the semi she gave me as we head for the dance floor.
She’s not entirely to blame. My cock acts up whenever she’s around, but the jersey she wore tonight?
That’s pure evil. I’m torn between tearing it off her or fucking her senseless while staring at my name plastered across her back.
But I guess for now, I’ll settle for following her to the dance floor and let guys smirk as we walk by.
Let them look—I’m the one she’s dancing with, grinding her hot little body on mine.
It thrills me to know I’m the one she’s grinding on. The one she’s coming home with.
It hasn’t been long, just a few weeks, but Ally moving in permanently feels so natural.
Like this was always supposed to be her home, she just hadn’t been settled in yet.
Now that she’s here, I can’t imagine the place without her—and Lucas feels the same.
He was thrilled when she agreed, especially with the season nearly over and all the downtime ahead of us to just spend time together.
Out on the dance floor, Ally spins her body back against mine, reminding me exactly how much she loves this song as she grinds her ass against me. She lowers her body down to the ground before sliding back up, and my hands gripping her hips, silently wishing we were doing this naked.
Right here, right now, and I wouldn’t even care who saw.
I just want her stripped, my cock filling her tight cunt while she rides me the way she’s teasing.
She turns toward me, arms looping around my neck, a deceptively innocent smile playing on her mouth, but those eyes?
They’re filled with the promise of danger.
She’s feeling spicy tonight, and I’m loving every second.
Her nails scrape along the back of my neck, goosebumps trailing along my neck. My cock twitches as I hold her hips, needing her body pressed against mine.
“Hey, guys,” Jax shouts over the music. He dances towards us, bringing some poor girl with him.
He’s been flirting with her all night long.
She doesn’t seem to mind, though, wrapping both her arms around his shoulders, leaning her chest into his back and his arms holding tightly on to hers.
“Should we go get another round of drinks?”
I look down at Ally, her glassy eyes twinkling with happiness that matches exactly how I feel when I’m with her.
She is fucking perfect. The smile on her face, her hand in mine, and the fact that my son and I are the ones she chose?
That’s all I need to be the happiest guy in the world, no question.
“I’m good right now,” Ally says with a shrug.
Jax actually pouts.
“Really? Aren’t we supposed to be celebrating? You’ll drink with me, won’t you?” he asks his new friend.
“Obviously…but only if you let me buy this round,” she says with a glare that’s obviously fake.
“Whatever you say, freckles.” Jax smiles. Turning back towards us, he winks, and I know damn well this girl isn’t paying for a single thing tonight.
“Who’s your friend?” I ask, nodding to the beauty with fiery red hair.
“This is Frankie,” Jax says.
“Hey, I’m Ally,” she says, turning away from me, offering Frankie her hand. Gesturing my way, she introduces me. “This is Cooper.”
“Hi, guys,” she says nervously, shaking my hand awkwardly as her other arm is still trapped around Jax. He’s not usually the clingy type, but something about this girl has him intrigued…enough to offer her a nickname.
“It’s nice to meet you, Frankie,” Ally says genuinely, a kindness radiating from her that I’ve noticed more and more. It’s like she knows what it feels like to be on the outside and never wants other people to feel that way.
“Well, as much as we would love to sit and chat,” Jax says as he grins down at Frankie. “We have more tequila to consume and questionable decisions to make. We’re just going to slip right on past you.”
“Make good decisions.”
“Never,” Jax says with a wink before pulling Frankie away with him. The two of them walk away hand in hand as they whisper about something.
“Those two seem to be having fun,” I say with a laugh as I look back down at my girl, pulling her back against me as we start swaying to the music again.
“He always does,” Ally says with a giggle, lifting up on her toes. She kisses me softly, her lips softly pressing against mine in the way I love as I hold her body against me, not allowing her to pull away.
I could kiss her for hours, but she ends the kiss much sooner than I want, making me growl, my need for her too intense.
“Ready to get out of here?” she whispers in my ear.
Finally putting me out of my misery.
“Abso-fucking-lutely.” I groan, gripping her ass, before slapping it once. “Let’s go.”
Turning around, she moves a bit too quickly, and before I can grab her, she’s running into another man walking from the bar next to us.
“Shit, fuck, I’m so sorry,” Ally starts, as she looks up at the guy holding two drinks before she starts laughing. “Officer Bennett?”
“Yes, ma’am. Although when I’m not on duty I go by Logan,” he says before turning towards me. “Hi, I’m Logan,” he repeats, this time offering a hand to me after setting the drinks down on the next table.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Cooper,” I tell him, wondering if this is the guy Quinn told me about when Wilson fucked with Ally at lunch—but that’s not a problem for now, and either way I appreciate him for it.
“I know you guys are probably out celebrating. You played fucking awesome tonight,” Logan says. On a night like tonight, I kind of love getting recognized.
“Thanks. We’re definitely out having fun,” I say.
“Same,” Logan says, as he grabs his drinks. “I should probably deliver these drinks.”
“Too late. I’m here to help,” a woman’s voice says as she walks over to Logan. She’s pretty, blonde hair, bright red lips, and her eyes are locked on him.
But his eyes are locked on hers, too. They must be here together.
Ally greets the woman who just walked up, holding her hand out to introduce herself.
“I’m…” she starts, but bites her lips, and Logan jumps in.
“She’s someone, but names aren’t always important,” he says, shooting her a wink, and she blushes. It makes me want to get my girl home to see her blush that same way. “Hey, sometimes they aren’t.” I laugh looking down at Ally, who’s giggling, eyes glassy from liquor, but she’s happy.
“Ready to go?” I ask her again, holding my hand out for her.
“I am. Let’s go home,” she says, her fingers lacing with mine.
And those are words I hope I hear from those sweet lips for the rest of my life.